Rock rake attachment for engineering vehicle

ABSTRACT

An attachment for an engineering vehicle that has a first side having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a first plurality of surfaces extending between the outer surface and the inner surface defining a first plurality of holes having a hole diameter; a second side having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a second plurality of surfaces extending between the outer surface and the inner surface defining a second plurality of holes having the hole diameter; and a plurality of rods occupying at least some of the first plurality of holes and at least some of the second plurality of holes, each rod having a first end, a second end, a longitudinal axis intersecting the first end and the second end, a rod length between the first end and the second end along the longitudinal axis, and a rod diameter.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This original nonprovisional application claims the benefit of andpriority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/212,247, filed Aug.31, 2015, which is incorporated by reference herein.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to material handling. Morespecifically, this invention is an attachment for an engineering vehiclethat facilitates the removal of rocks and other undesirable materialduring preparation of land for a use.

2. Description of the Related Art

Engineering vehicles such as skid steers and tractors are commonly usedfor a variety of useful purposes such as farming, construction, andlandscaping. They are typically fitted with mechanisms to allow avariety of different useful attachments for different purposes, such asan auger, a trencher, or a snow plow. These attachments are connected tothe vehicle via a mounting system, which may be universal or,alternatively, specific to a particular brand of vehicle.

One common attachment for such vehicles is known as a rock rake, whichis generally used for removing rock from top soil in an area. A simplerock rake attachment looks like a large hand rake connectable to thevehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 6,990,758, for example, teaches an attachmentmountable to a bucket of an excavator, thus avoiding the work andexpense of removing the bucket from the arm. The scraper portion and arake are included in a single unit that is attachable and detachablefrom the excavator bucket. Scraper and blade attachments are eitherdetachably connected to the unit with bolts or permanently welded inplace as desired. See also U.S. Pat. No. D361,772.

Other types of rock rakes include a bucket for scooping and retainingmaterial. U.S. Pat. No. 6,718,662, for example, teaches an attachmentthat comprises a plurality of teeth supported in a frame that attachesto the bucket of a front end loader.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,534,371 teaches an attachment for picking rocks andsorting them with a rotatable drum. The operator moves the drum acrossthe surface as desired to direct rocks or other objects into the drum.When the operator elevates the drum, soil passes out of the drum throughopenings while rocks are retained. Drum rotation facilitates separationof the rocks from the material.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,066,275 teaches a bucket that includes a frame mountedon the outer end thereof that supports removable and replaceable grates.Tines extend from the outer transverse edge of the frame supporting thegrates and are adapted to collect and dig under rocks, which are forcedup the tines and onto the grate by the normal forward movement of thevehicle. Periodically, when the grates become full of rock, the operatorpivots the implement, thereby dumping the rocks into the bucket. Thebucket includes a perforated grated floor through which additional dirtmay be removed from the rocks and dropped back onto the soil while therocks remain in the bucket.

Each of the above-referenced patents is incorporated by referenceherein.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The invention comprises an attachment for an engineering vehicle. Theattachment has a first side having an outer surface, an inner surface,and a first plurality of surfaces extending between the outer surfaceand the inner surface defining a first plurality of holes having a holediameter; a second side having an outer surface, an inner surface, and asecond plurality of surfaces extending between the outer surface and theinner surface defining a second plurality of holes having the holediameter; and a plurality of rods occupying at least some of the firstplurality of holes and at least some of the second plurality of holes,each rod having a first end, a second end, a longitudinal axisintersecting the first end and the second end, a rod length between thefirst end and the second end along the longitudinal axis, and a roddiameter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front top view of one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side top view of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a section view through line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a front top view of a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a section view through line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment 20 of the invention, which embodiment 20includes a steel frame 22 having sides 24, a back 26, and an open frontend 28. The sides 24 and back 26 are connected with struts 30. Each side24 has a front end 32 and a planar inside surface 34. A mounting plate36 is attached to the back 26 to provide for attachment to anengineering vehicle. A metal crossbar 38 extends between and isconnected to the sides 24. A hardened scraper 40 made from 1055carbon-based steel is fastened to the crossbar 38 with bolts 42. Thescraper 40 has a front edge 44 aligned with the bottoms of the sides 24.A number of cylindrical metal rods 46 extend between the sides 24through two L-shaped beams 48 connected (e.g., welded) to the back 26and the crossbar 38 in a generally planar configuration, with spaces 47between any two adjacent rods 46. A working volume 50 is bounded by thesides 24, the back 26, the crossbar 38, the rods 46, and the spaces 47.The embodiment 20 is symmetrical about a center plane 52.

Referring to FIG. 2, each side 24 has an outer surface 54. A number ofidentically sized holes 56 are disposed through each of the sides 24 anddefined by cylindrical surfaces extending between each side's innersurface 34 and outer surface 54. Each hole 56 disposed through one side24 is axially aligned with a corresponding hole 56 in the opposing side24 to form a pair of axially aligned holes. Moreover, each pair ofaxially aligned holes is further axially aligned with a hole 58 througheach of the L-shaped beams 48 to form a set of four axially alignedholes—two holes 56 in the sides 24 and one hole 58 through each L-shapedbeam 48.

In this embodiment, the rods 46 have a ⅞-inch diameter and the holes 56,58 have a one-inch diameter. Alternative embodiments, however,contemplate various sized and shaped rods, including rods withnon-circular cross-sections (e.g., hexagonal, square, octagonal, etc.).For non-circular profiles, the rod diameter is the greatest width of theprofile through the longitudinal axis of the rod.

Referring jointly to FIGS. 2-3, a plate 60 is connected to the outersurface 54 of each side 24 using bolts 62 and nuts 64. The plate 60 hasa generally elongate, planar first section 66 that contacts the sideouter surface 54, a generally elongate planar second section 68 spaced adistance from but parallel to the outer surface 54, and an intermediatesection 70 connected to the first section 66 and the second section 68.The intermediate section 70 is angled relative to the first section 66and second section 68. Each bolt 62 extends through the first section 66and the side 24 and is engaged with a corresponding nut 64.

Referring to FIG. 3, each rod 46 has two opposing ends 72 and acylindrical axis 74 that is perpendicular to the mid-plane 52. Becauseof the relationship between the rods 46 and holes 56, 58, each rod 46 isgenerally free to move in three ways: translationally along itscylindrical axis 74, rotationally around its cylindrical axis 74, andradially relative to the axes of the holes 56. To allow translationalmovement, each rod 46 has a length less than the distance between thesecond sections 68 of the two plates 60 to allow a longitudinal playbetween the opposing plates 60. When one end 72 of a rod 46 is incontact with one plate 60, the opposing end 72 is not in contact withthe opposing plate 60. To facilitate rotation and radial movement ofeach rod 46, the diameter of each rod 46 is less than the diameter ofthe inner surfaces defining corresponding holes 56, 58 to inhibit aninterference fit and allow the rod 46 to rotate generally freely withinits associated holes 56, 58.

In alternative embodiments, the rods 46 may be held in place withalternative means. For example, in one alternative embodiment, the rods46 may be welded to the sides 24 and/or to the L-shaped beams 48,although this would have the less preferred effect of limiting movementof the rod relative to the embodiment described in FIG. 3. In stillother embodiments, the rods 46 may be clipped or otherwise fastened tothe plates 60 or the sides 24.

Operation of the embodiment 20 is described with reference to FIG. 1.Typically, the embodiment 20 is attached to an engineering vehicle atthe mounting plate 36. Thereafter, the embodiment 20 is lowered to theground surface by the vehicle operator and the vehicle moved forwardgenerally in direction F with the scraper 40 in contact with the groundsurface. This action causes material (e.g., top soil, rocks, or debris)to enter the working volume 50. Once in the working volume 50, smallermaterial is allowed to fall from the working volume through the spaces47 between adjacent rods 46 and fall to the ground. Larger material isretained in the working volume 50 by the rods 46 and may be pushedtoward the back 22.

Movement of the rods 46 helps facilitate separation of smaller andlarger material. Because the rods 46 are free to move longitudinallyalong its axis 74, rotationally around its axis 74, and radiallyrelative to the associated holes 56, 58, the rods 46 will tend to movewith movement of the attached vehicle and thus cause movement andshifting of the material contained within the working volume. Suchmovement facilitates separation of smaller material that, for example,will not pass through the spaces 47 when orientated one way, but willpass through the spaces 47 when oriented other ways.

In addition, the lateral (e.g., side-to-side) configuration of the rods46 inhibits accumulation of material within the working volume 50. Bycomparison, in attachments having elongate members runningfront-to-back, for example, material tends to accumulate on the elongatemembers and ride along the member as the attachment moves forward withthe vehicle. In contrast, the lateral rod configuration of theembodiment 20 results in less accumulation of such material, as forwardmovement of the attachment causes accumulated material to fall into thenext adjacent rearward space 47 as additional material enters theworking volume 50 from the open front end 28. In alternative embodimentswhere the rods 46 are not free to move in one or more of the waysdescribed with reference to FIG. 3, the lateral configuration stillprovides this advantage.

With this embodiment 20, the number of rods 46 may be changed toaccommodate the characteristics of the material to be worked. FIGS. 1-2show the use of one rod 46 for every two sets of four holes 56, 58. Theconfiguration may be modified to provide larger spaces 47 (e.g., one rodfor every three sets of holes 56, 58) smaller spaces 47 (e.g., one rodfor every set of holes 56, 58) between rods 46. In some applications, anoperator may desire to have variable rod spacing. To change the rodconfiguration, one of the plates 60 is removed from the associated side24, which allows rods 46 to be removed or additional rods to beinserted.

FIGS. 4-5 show a second embodiment 120, which is designed to be towedbehind an engineering vehicle in the forward direction F. Like theembodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1-3, this embodiment 120includes a steel frame 122 having sides 124, a back 126, and an openfront end 128. The sides 124 and back 126 are connected with struts 130.Each side 124 has a front end 132 and a planar inside surface 134. Anupper metal crossbar 137 is connected to and between the sides 124 nearthe top of the embodiment 120. A mount 136 is attached to the uppercrossbar 137 to provide for attachment to an engineering vehicle. Alower metal crossbar 138 extends between and is connected to the sides124. A hardened scraper 140 is fastened to the top of the lower crossbar138 with bolts 142. The scraper 140 has a front edge 144 aligned withthe bottoms of the sides 124. Cylindrical metal rods 146 extend betweenthe sides 124 through two curved L-beams 148 connected (e.g., welded) tothe back 126 and the lower crossbar 138. A working volume 150 is boundedby the sides 124, the back 126, the lower crossbar 138, the rods 146,and space 147 between the rods 146. The embodiment 120 is symmetricalabout a center plane 152.

Referring specifically to FIG. 5, each side 124 has a bottom 170 with aplanar portion 172 that generally maintains contact with the ground andthat is adjacent to a curved portion 174. The relationship between therods 146 and holes 156 is as described with reference to FIGS. 1-3. Inthis embodiment, however, the rods 146 are in a non-planar configurationand have a curvature corresponding to the curved portion 174 of thebottom 170 of the sides 124. A cover plate 160 is attached to the outersurface of each side 124 and is identical to the plates 60 of the firstembodiment except curved along its length to correspond to the curvatureof the curved portion 174.

Use of this embodiment 120, described with reference to FIG. 4, issubstantially similar to that described with reference to FIG. 1. Inaddition, however, the curved configuration of the rods 146 facilitates“turnover” of material that is forced against the back 126 of theembodiment 120. As material moves toward the back and accumulates, theshape of the working volume 150 causes the material to “fold over” inthe forward direction F, thus facilitating an additional “sifting”action to separate, for example, rocks from top soil.

The present invention is described in terms of specifically-describedembodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize that otherembodiments of such device can be used in carrying out the presentinvention. Other aspects and advantages of the present invention may beobtained from a study of this disclosure and the drawings, along withthe appended claims.

I claim:
 1. An attachment for an engineering vehicle, the attachmenthaving comprising: a first side having an outer surface, an innersurface partially bounding a working volume, and a first plurality ofsurfaces extending between the outer surface and the inner surfacedefining a first plurality of holes having a hole diameter; a secondside having an outer surface, an inner surface partially bounding theworking volume, and a second plurality of surfaces extending between theouter surface and the inner surface defining a second plurality of holeshaving the hole diameter, the second plurality of holes being axiallyaligned with the first plurality of holes; a plurality of rods occupyingat least some of the first plurality of holes and at least some of thesecond plurality of holes, each rod having a first end, a second end, alongitudinal axis intersecting the first end and the second end, a rodlength between the first end and the second end along the longitudinalaxis, and a rod diameter; a first plate mounted to the outer surface ofthe first side, the first plate not bounding the working volume andhaving a first section intersecting the longitudinal axes of theplurality of rods and spaced a distance from the outer surface of thefirst side; and a second plate mounted to the outer surface of thesecond side, the second plate not bounding the working volume and havinga second section intersecting the longitudinal axes of the plurality ofrods and spaced a distance from the outer surface of the second side,the distance along the longitudinal axes between the first section andthe second section is greater than the rod length.
 2. The attachment ofclaim 1 wherein each rod is free to rotate within its associated holesaround its axes.
 3. The attachment of claim 1 wherein each rod is freeto move translationally along its axis.
 4. The attachment of claim 1wherein each rod is free to move radially relative to the axes of itsassociated holes.
 5. The attachment of claim 1 wherein the rod diameteris less than 95% of the hole diameter.
 6. The attachment of claim 5wherein the rod diameter is less than 90% of the hole diameter.
 7. Theattachment of claim 6 wherein the rod diameter is less than 87.5% of thehole diameter.
 8. The attachment of claim 1 wherein the plurality ofrods is fixed to at least one of the first side and the second side. 9.The attachment of claim 1 wherein the longitudinal axes of the pluralityof rods are coplanar.
 10. The attachment of claim 1 wherein thelongitudinal axes of the holes are arranged in a curved configuration.11. The attachment of claim 1 wherein the plurality of holes andplurality of rods have circular cross sections.
 12. The attachment ofclaim 1 further comprising a back connected to the first side and thesecond side and partially bounds a working volume.
 13. The attachment ofclaim 1 wherein each rod of the plurality of rods contacts only one ofthe first section and the second section.
 14. The attachment of claim 13wherein the rod length is less than 95% of the distance along thelongitudinal axes between the first section and the second section. 15.An attachment for an engineering vehicle, the attachment comprising: afirst side having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a firstplurality of surfaces extending between the outer surface and the innersurface defining a first plurality of holes having a hole diameter; asecond side having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a secondplurality of surfaces extending between the outer surface and the innersurface defining a second plurality of holes having the hole diameter,the second plurality of holes being axially aligned with the firstplurality of holes; a plurality of rods occupying at least some of thefirst plurality of holes and at least some of the second plurality ofholes, each rod having a first end, a second end, a longitudinal axisintersecting the first end and the second end, a rod length between thefirst end and the second end along the longitudinal axis, and a roddiameter; a first plate mounted to the outer surface of the first side,the first plate having a planar elongate first section in contact withthe first side, a planar elongate second section intersecting thelongitudinal axes of the plurality of rods and spaced a distance fromthe outer surface of the first side, and an intermediate sectionconnected and angled relative to the first section and the secondsection; and a second plate mounted to the outer surface of the secondside, the second plate having a planar elongate first section in contactwith the second side, a planar elongate second section intersecting thelongitudinal axes of the plurality of rods and spaced a distance fromthe outer surface of the second side, the distance along thelongitudinal axes between the second section of the first plate and thesecond section of the second plate is greater than the rod length, andan intermediate section connected and angled relative to the firstsection and the second section.
 16. The attachment of claim 15 whereineach rod is free to rotate within its associated holes around its axes.17. The attachment of claim 15 wherein each rod is free to movetranslationally along its axis.
 18. The attachment of claim 15 whereineach rod is free to move radially relative to the axes of its associatedholes.
 19. The attachment of claim 15 wherein each rod of the pluralityof rods contacts no more than one of the second section of the firstplate and the second section of the second plate.